The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-06-15
STRANGE SURGERY.
Cutting Through a Mans side TO Reach
Diseased Organs


Over year and half ago. says the
Louisville Costrisr-,lotfrndl, there was
admitted TO the male surgical ward
young man, Abraham Broadway, aged
p, and. to all outward appearances, of
sound health. To the physician in
charge he said he was s consumptive.
having for many years. as he supposed.
been a victim TO the ravages of that
disease. His physician, he alleged.
had diagnosed his affiiction as phthi-.
sis pulmonalis, and had treated him
accordingly. but, despite his efforts. no
change in the symptoms was noted.
In addition to this. the tibia Of his
right leg was found to be much de-
eayed; so much. in fact, that the phv-
sicians at the hospital were at first
disposed TO look upon the entire lower
part of the limb as dead bone, there
being no flesh at all on that portion of
his leg between the knee and ankle
joints. This condition had existed.
the young man said. for over four
years, and all treatment he had re
eeived proved fruitless of any good
results.
Shortly after Bradway's admission to
the hospital he began TO grow notice
ably worse. and in a few weeks was so
emaciated that his own friends failed to
recognize him, and his life was despair
ed of. He had fallen in weight from
162 to ninety-one pounds. and had re
fused to eat anything. saying that the
sight of food nauSeated him.
From the then existing symptoms
one of the physicians was led to believe
that instead Of the patient being Il con-
sumptive he was afflicted with empve-
ma, or formation of pus in one of the
cavities of the body Further investi-
CATION proved that he had been correct
in his diagnosis. and preparations
were at once begun to locate the for
nation.
BY means of a probe it was found 10
be in the space between the serous
membrane sac around one of the lungs
and the lung itself. A tube was intro
duced through the cartilage between
the seventh and eighth ribs and the sac
punctured. For several days there was
a steady flow of pus through the tube.
and the patient professed TO be grow
ing better. It was not long, however,
before the state of affairs was an ex-
ceedingly delicate and dangerous one,
and owing to the complications exist
ing it was impossible to use the probe
and tube rs before The sac had re-
filed with the fast-forming pus, and as
the space between the serous MEM
brane and the lung was occupied. the
heart of the young man was pushed
out of position toward the right side
of the body and the lung so greatly
compressed as to entirely stop respira-
ton. The situation was indeed alarm
ing, and caused much excitement
among the physicians, who had mani
Tested much interest in the case.
As deT'Rier resort. it was finally
decided to reach the seat of the trouble
by cutting through the side of the
body
The young man was informed of
the intentions of the physicians. and
readily gave his consent He was
placed under the influence of the most
powerful an9sthetics, owing to his ex-
tremely weakened condition. and sew
eral inches of the seventh and eighth
ribs cut away, leaving the terribly dis
tended lungs in full view.
No one of the internal organs was in
its proper place. The heart was pushed
full up to the right side of the body by
the diseased lungs. and already showed
traces of similar affection The
lungs themselves had been swollen SO
that they occupied nearly the entire
thorax, and in few DAYS respiration
would have been totally suspended.
As soon as the young man was able
to stand the operation, the pus sac was
again punctured and the entire contents
drained therefrom. Over a gallon of
pus and bruised blood was drawn from
his lungs and the sac thoroughly
cleansed. The opening in his side was
then covered with a silver plate. and
the skin brought together over it. A
very light diet was ordered, and for
several weeks the patient lowered be-
tween life and death. At the end of "A
month. however, he began to improve,
much to the satisfaction of the attend
ing physician, and few weeks ago
was able to leave his bed. He now
weighs 140 pounds, eats heartily, and
is of great assistance around the wards.
Amputation of his leg was found not
necessary, and it began to grow better
90 tho ornuvaD,a diSapnaared